Opal and Onyx
by Homely
Summary: Sasuke works as a bartender in a poor area of town. When Hinata, a rich girl from the suburbs, walks through his door, his life might change forever. SasuHina, AU.
1. The Girl Behind the Bar

**Opal and Onyx**

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><p><em><strong>chapter one; <strong>the girl behind the bar_

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><p>A ding at the door raised Sasuke's head from his task of wiping down the bar. The grungy establishment, though something he had grown to love, did constantly smell of piss and rot, so naturally, when he saw a pretty young woman enter, he was surprised. She brought a cold air in from behind her and couldn't have been more than nineteen years old. She wore lilac and a denim jacket that she hugged to herself as she approached the bar. The hungry eyes of customers stared her down, like a fresh piece of steak, and Sasuke silently hoped to himself that he wouldn't have to be fighting off any aggressive old men that peaceful night.<p>

The bar wasn't crowded. There were a few old regulars and some rough looking young guys who Sasuke knew were trouble. The girl was alone. "H-Hello," she stammered. "A beer, please."

He eyed her down for a moment as he cleaned out a mug with a rag. "I'll need to see I.D," he told her, and she rummaged through her tiny leather handbag. His first notice was the designer brand; either a knock off, or foolishly expensive, but he was betting on the latter based on the rest of her attire. He took the card from her. Hinata Hyuga, nearly twenty years old. He nodded at her.

"Coming right up," he said. "Anything specific?"

"Whatever's good," she mumbled, refusing to make eye contact. As he got a better look at her, he saw that her cheeks were red, seemingly stained with tears. Black make-up was smudged under her light irises, and she had long, dark hair, clashing against her pale complexion. He paid no further mind to her appearance as he filled the mug and put it down in front of her. Small hands gripped it and she took a tiny sip. She brought her attention to the television, where a random sports game was playing. It was a Monday night, and Sasuke had definitely not seen anything like her in his part of town for a long while. He thought little of it as left her alone and tended to some dishes. When the girl finished her drink, she waved to him for another.

"Rough night?" he inquired, handing her the refilled up.

"Y-Yeah," she stuttered, hiding her eyes with her angular bangs. She looked pathetic, he thought, like a kicked puppy.

"A breakup," he said. It was not a question, but she nodded anyway. "A rich girl like you," he continued nonchalantly, "isn't common to see in a place like this."

Her eyes flickered, meeting his for the first time, where opal clashed with onyx.

"Well, I wanted to avoid familiar faces," she responded meekly.

"Sure," he grunted, turning his attention back to the dishes behind him. The girl was none of his concern. She would finish her drink, maybe another, then disappear, and once she was out of his bar, she was on her own. When she ordered another, he could see that she beginning to sway. Regardless, he served her. Nineteen year olds could make their own decisions. He was only recently twenty, himself.

Hinata was half way through her third drink when she had company.

Two tall, husky men in their late twenties approached her from the pool table. Sasuke had his back turned, idly checking his phone, when he heard their voices.

"Hey, pretty," one man said. "What brings you here?"

"N-Nothing." Her voice shook. Sasuke turned around.

"Why don't you come hang with us?" the other man queried, drunkenly slinging his arm around Hinata's shoulder. She jolted, and when she attempted to shove the man off her, he insisted on staying put.

"Aww, come on," he teased. "Just let me buy ya a drink, eh?"

"No, thank you," she affirmed cordially, pushing him off her.

"She's playing hard to get!" the other man bellowed, until Sasuke slammed his hand on the bar, startling all three of them.

"She said no," Sasuke stated. "Now fuck off, or get out."

The men glowered at him violently, but the bartender's brooding orbs were drilling holes in their heads. They shrugged and took off.

"T-Thank you," Hinata bowed at him, and he merely turned his back.

"You shouldn't be here by yourself." He looked over his shoulder at her. "It's not safe. Go home."

"I'd like to stay," she cheeped, deepening his scowl. After being harassed by those two guys, he imagined a shy girl like her would already be ten miles down the road.

"Can't force you out if you're a paying customer," he brushed it off. Hinata watched the sports game as Sasuke continued his duties, serving a few customers here and there, but mainly standing around trying to keep his hands busy. Monday nights were generally slow and uneventful, so it went on as expected, with the inconsistency of one anomaly.

When Hinata continued to order drinks, Sasuke questioned it, but complied. Who she was, and why she was drinking, were none of his concern. The fact that she was a young girl and she was pretty were the only things that differentiated her from the stream of lonely old men he dealt with on a regular basis.

Finally, Hinata informed him that she was ready to pay. He wasn't shocked to see her pull a shiny credit card from her wallet. She stumbled as she stood up and reached over the counter to accept the machine.

Sasuke released a sigh of exasperation. "How are you getting home?"

"Walking," she uttered, as though it were none of his business. It really wasn't, he supposed, but he scowled anyway.

"No you aren't," he stated. The girl's eyes landed on him, more sternly than before, a look he didn't think she was capable of giving.

"I am," she asserted, and he shook his head.

"Are you naive?" he inquired, provoking her grimace. Once again, the man scanned her appearance. She wore expensive jewellery and shiny (presumably diamond) earrings. She didn't fit. He was wearing a simple t-shirt and his only accessories were the tattoos on his arms. "I'm calling you a cab," he told her once the transaction was complete. She had tipped him twenty dollars. When he looked up, the girl was gone, and so were the men playing pool.

Sasuke set free an irritated scoff. Whoever this stubborn girl was, he wasn't having her welfare on his conscious. The only people left in the bar were a few old men, regulars, who he trusted not to break into the cash register. He hopped the counter and ran outside, just in time to find Hinata being ambushed up the road.

"Wait up, darling!" one of the men called out.

"L-Leave me alone," Hinata exclaimed, keeping her eyes glued forward. She picked up her pace, but they jogged after her. One of the men grabbed her by the arm, twirling her small frame into his chest. That was when Sasuke accelerated into a sprint. He crashed into the man who was holding down Hinata, inadvertently sending the girl to the ground with a screech.

"Get off me," the man urged through gritted teeth, pushing Sasuke back.

"Leave her the hell alone," he growled, standing before her. The two men loomed over them.

"Let's just take this pretty boy down," he said.

"I wouldn't do that," Sasuke threatened. Behind him, Hinata stumbled to her feet, using a building behind her for support. The two of them chuckled mockingly, before one of them threw a punch. Sasuke quickly averted it, and Hinata screeched. The other man shoved him, and he retorted with a quick knee to the man's stomach.

Hinata eyes were wide with horror as she watched the scene unravel. Sasuke was agile, avoiding most of their hits, while landing many of his own. He booted one of them in the gut, before he was struck in the face by the other. He faltered to his feet, lunging forward, now utterly seething with rage. The two men were clearly inebriated, as their movements were clumsy, while Sasuke's were quick. After the three of them landed several hits on one another, they finally backed off, panting.

"Let's just get out of here," the one man heaved. "Stupid bitch isn't worth it."

Sasuke wiped blood from his lip. "Find a new bar," he commanded.

"Whatever." Before the men left, one of them took a quick dive at the girl. Sasuke rushed to intervene, but was tackled by the other. The man pushed Hinata and yanked her purse from her grasp. Her small body hurdled into the brick wall. She let out a whimper, and Sasuke shoved the man off him. They chortled, and with that, raced down the street.

Sasuke rushed to Hinata's side and helped her up.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, grabbing her face. He examined it for afflictions, but she swiped him away.

"N-No," she choked. "But my purse..."

"Forget it. Come on." He took her wrist and dragged her back to the bar. "We're closing early," Sasuke announced. The remaining customers groaned.

"It's two hours before last call," a grizzly man complained.

"Get out now. Drinks are free," he brushed them off, leading Hinata to her original bar stool. With no further objection, the men collected their belongings with a few mutters and left the bar. In the mirror behind the plethora of liquor, Sasuke studied his face. His lip was busted, and he could see a black eye beginning to form. In the reflection behind him, Hinata sat with her hands covering her face, sobbing pitifully.

"Let's go," Sasuke said. She did not argue. He locked up the rest of the store and lead her to the exit out back, where they found the parking lot. He took his keys out of his pocket and pressed a button. A small black vehicle lit up. The paint was chipped, and he had been in a fender bender that he'd evidently chosen to neglect repair on.

"Get in," he commanded. He hopped into the drivers seat, and reluctantly, the girl sat beside him. She crinkled her nose at the stench of stale cigarette smoke. Sasuke ignored her and started the car.

"Where do you live?" he asked, pulling away from the bar.

"U-Uptown," she sputtered. "The suburbs. I'll direct you from there."

He let out a sigh. Of course, uptown. Of course, the suburbs. He'd be going a good half an hour out of his way, but at least his conscious would remain unhindered. He considered questioning why she came so far out, but decided against it, noting that finding out more about her may do nothing but bring him more bad luck.

The drive was silent. To direct him, Hinata simply pointed with a frail digit. She had stopped crying, but was trembling the whole way there. It irked him.

As they arrived at her street, Sasuke spoke again. "You're damn lucky I'm not like either of those guys back there, Hinata." She snapped her head at his use of her name. She knew he had seen her I.D, but to hear it come from him just felt awkward. The entire situation was inelegant, but she was far too befuddled to think rationally. She hugged her arms closely to her chest, resisting the urge to cry again. At last, they pulled up to a large, regal looking mansion. It had a massive black gate and the property was secluded with cream coloured walls. Across it's massive front lawn, were a series of sprinkler systems, ticking away in the still autumn night.

Sasuke parked the car out front and looked at her.

"Thank you," she practically whispered, before opening the door and standing up.

"Wait," he said. She poked her head in. "I don't know what you were doing at my bar, but do yourself a favour. Don't come back."

Hinata nodded weakly and shut the door. Sasuke immediately sped off. The screech of his tires echoed through the quiet neighbourhood. He stopped at the end of the street before a turn and lit a cigarette. He waited, watching in his rear view mirror, until he saw she had safely entered the confides of her property.

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><p><strong>AN: **I need to stop writing stories because I have so many on the go and agh! Well, this headcanon wasn't leaving me alone, so I'm treating this fic as a sort of side project to my other ones, which are more of a high priority.

That being said, I will be updating this one. Please leave a review and let me know what you think! :D SHOULD I CONTINUE?


	2. Routines

**Opal and Onyx**

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><p><em><strong>chapter two; <strong>routines_

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><p>Sasuke watched a flame dance before him, on, off, and on again. Idly, he flicked his lighter, again and again, watching it ignite, only to die once more. He had been stuck behind a train for well over twenty minutes, and the only thing preventing him from speeding off in an angered rage was the certainty of death, if not to him, surely to his vehicle.<p>

He didn't consider himself a patient person. As the minutes dragged on, his temper heightened, so he flicked the lighter and watched the fire to preoccupy his mind. It was not an ideal way to start a Tuesday morning.

Most people hated Mondays, but Sasuke was a true, die hard fan of the anti-Tuesday club. At least on Monday, he was refreshed from a Sunday off. On Wednesday, he only had two more days until another day off. But on Tuesday, there was never anything to look forward to. His claims were backed up as the slow moving train continued to halt him.

_I'm going to be damn late, _he grumbled to himself. He was supposed to be opening the bar at ten, and it was getting dangerously close to that time. When the traffic was finally able to move again, Sasuke was too quick to press on the gas pedal. He managed to arrive at work just in time to open late.

Sasuke was cleaning the bar, while the cooks made their daily preparations in the back. The bell at the door rang, and Sasuke lifted his head. Fiery red hair caused him to inwardly groan.

"Hey, you," the girl chimed.

"Karin," Sasuke muttered, bringing his attention back to cleaning a mug (that was already spotless). "I see you're working today."

"Sure am," she winked and swung around the join him. She eyed him with mischief as he tried to ignore her. She poked her head in front of his and studied his face. "What the hell happened to you?" she gaped. Sasuke turned away.

"Had some trouble last night," he grunted. "Just forget it."

"Whatever," she said, before disappearing into the kitchen. Sasuke released a sigh. Thankfully, his ex-girlfriend wasn't feeling _too _nosy that day. It was just like her to meander around in his business, but she also had her sights set on one of the new cooks. She staggered off to bother him, leaving Sasuke in peace. He turned around and surveyed himself in the mirror. The busted lip and a purple bruise around his right eye were certain to bring unwanted attention. He glowered, remembered the ridiculous girl from the previous night. If she had just accepted his offer to cab, none of that would have happened. He reminded himself that she was not at fault; those two scum bags were the true source.

After about half an hour, customers started to pile in for lunch. For the regulars at his bar, alcohol had no time limit. They would probably drink themselves to death if they had enough money to do it. Sasuke served as he always would, while Karin waited tables. It was mid-afternoon when he was taking a small break. The place had mostly cleared out, and he leisurely leaned against the wall, checking his email, when the bell tinged again. Sasuke lifted his eyes from the screen.

It was Hinata.

She sheepishly clutched a new purse to her chest. When she caught sight of him, she flushed and looked away, before taking a deep breath and approaching the counter. Sasuke watched her with his eyebrow raised.

"I told you not to come back here," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I-I know," she stammered. "But... I have to properly thank you, for last night."

"Don't worry about it," he mumbled. She helped herself to a seat, the same one she'd been in the night before. She opened her mouth to speak, when a rambunctious redhead emerged from the back.

"Hey there!" she exclaimed, strolling up to Hinata, who shied away. When Karin took in the sight of her, and her proximity to Sasuke, her welcoming façade melted. She scanned the two of them with suspicion. Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Can I get you anything?" Karin inquired with a monotone voice. Hinata shyly nodded.

"S-Sure... Well, I just came for tea."

"Tea?" Karin asked, flabbergasted. "Well, that's his job." She glared as Sasuke, who shrugged, turning to the automatic kettle. Karin made her exit as he filled it with water.

"I wanted to apologize..." she murmured. He glanced at, then returned to his task. "Please, believe me, I was not in the right state of mind last night."

"I believe you," he said. "I know what getting dumped looks like."

Hinata was taken back. "Um, well, yes."

"So what are you doing back here?"

She reached into her new wallet and slid a fifty dollar bill across the bar. Sasuke looked down at it in disbelief. "What do I look like to you?" he queried, sliding the bill back to her. "Some sort of bodyguard-slash-prostitute?"

"N-No, well," she stammered. "I just, I don't know how to repay you."

"You don't need to repay me. I did what any decent human being would do." He returned with the tea and set it in front of her. "On second thought, you can repay me by never coming back here alone, okay?"

To his surprise, the girl giggled. She covered her mouth with her hand, as if she were embarrassed by it, and Sasuke was stunned for a split second. So, she was cute. She still embodied everything that he hated. She was stinking rich, clearly careless with money, and had no idea what the real world was like.

Hinata put one sugar in her tea and sipped from it. Now that she was sober, she took in the appearance of the bartender. He was intimidating, with jet black hair and tattoos up his arms. Though not her type, he was also handsome, in a tough sort of way. Her face flushed.

"S-So, are there often men here? Like the ones last night?" Hinata cheeped in a feeble attempt to continue conversation. Sasuke shrugged.

"Some nights. The bar isn't the problem, it's the neighbourhood."

"I've haven't spent much time around here," she admitted it, as if it were a crime.

"I've been here for my entire life." He watched her expression, to see if it would twist in judgemental disgust, but she displayed nothing but the same bashful demeanour.

"I'm sure there are nice things about it," she assured, forcing a tiny grin. Sasuke shook his head.

"Not really." He grabbed himself a glass of water. "I suppose the history is interesting. This area used to be downtown, years ago, before either of us were born."

"That is interesting," she said. The girl idly sipped from her cup, and Sasuke dismissed himself to turn away. He set down his glass of water, accidentally splashing some out of the cup. When he grabbed a rag to wipe it up, Hinata spoke again.

"You should really let me repay you," she said. He faced her with a cocked eyebrow. She was fidgeting with her fingers. "I really am truly grateful... Who knows what could have happened to me, had you not stepped in."

"Like I said, I did what any decent person would do."

"Lunch," she blurted. "Let me buy you lunch."

With his eyebrow still raised, Sasuke checked the tawdry watch on his wrist. It didn't go without notice that Hinata's was silver, probably real, too.

"Well, it is my break time, so fine." He left the nervous girl and went into the kitchen, where Karin was neglecting her waitress duties by flirting with the cook. He scoffed.

"Karin, that plate is getting cold. Bring it out to the customer." When she scowled at him, he rolled his eyes. He grabbed his denim jacket off the coat hook and slung it over his shoulder. "And I'm going on break, watch the bar," he instructed passively as he left his co-worker with a permanent scowl. Karin annoyed him. They had dated for a while in high school, but she was quick to cheat on him. She still tried to treat him as if he was her boyfriend, getting jealous over other girls, while she was the one ruthlessly flirting with every cute guy she met. Because he grew up with her, he couldn't hate her, but damn... She got on his nerves.

_I should fire her, _he thought to himself with a devilish smirk. When Hinata saw him leave the kitchen, she stood up and adjusted her pink shirt. Sasuke put on the jacket, and the two left the bar.

"I drove today," Hinata peeped. "Let me drive."

"All right."

The dark purple Porsche parked at the back of the grubby bar was characteristically out of place, much like Hinata, herself. He had never been in such an expensive vehicle. When he entered, it smelled like it was brand new. For all he knew, it was.

"How much money do you have?" he inquired, as Hinata staggered to put her keys in the ignition.

"U-Um," she blushed. "Well, my dad owns one of the top businesses in town... This is my first car, though. I got it last week."

"What for?" He almost laughed.

"An early birthday present." She started the car. Apart from Sasuke's, its engine ran perfectly smooth. She reversed and began driving towards downtown.

"But your birthday isn't until December."

Hinata's eyes flickered to him. He remembered her birthday. _How odd, _she mused, but dismissed it. "I told my father that I could wait for the car, but he'd already purchased it."

"No point in waiting then," Sasuke grumbled with uncanny jealousy. He didn't consider himself envious of her, on the contrary, she was far too privileged to even be considered a 'real; person. But the car he was sitting in cost more than he made per year. He imagined, for a fleeting moment, what it would feel like to have such expendable income, but quickly stopped himself. Sasuke didn't allow himself to daydream like that; it was unfair to who he'd worked to hard to become.

The car ride was silent. He didn't ask questions as they found their way downtown. Hinata pulled into an underground parking garage near a large shopping centre. When they got out, she explained to him that she knew of a restaurant she thought he might like.

"I can't afford to eat at most places downtown," he told her, nonchalantly hanging his hands in his pockets. Surely enough, when they got to the street, she brought him to a casual, yet pricey eatery. He'd never been there, or so much as heard of the place. They entered the posh building. It smelled of wonderfully cooked meat and spaghetti. A waitress, one much more elegant than Sasuke's ex girlfriend, lead them to a booth. There were already rolls of bread and butter displayed in a fancy basket in the centre of the table. Hinata thanked the waitress as she handed them each a laminate menu.

"Fancy," Sasuke commented.

"It's my favourite restaurant," Hinata peeped, avoiding eye contact, which unwittingly irked him. It spoke of her shyness and uncertainty and lack of utter confidence. Simultaneously, it was refreshing. Modesty wasn't something he'd grown up with. The girls he knew were always tough and brash. They needed to be.

Sasuke carefully examined the menu, but found himself lost. He was looking for a burger or a steak, but everything was in a language he didn't recognize. After a few moments of trying to find something he knew other than pasta and salad, he grew irate.

"This doesn't make any sense," he declared. "What is all this?"

When Hinata raised her eyes from the menu. When she met his scornful ones, she hid her face. "I'm sorry," she murmured. The apprehension in her voice made him feel guilty. He always had been impetuous and prickly by nature. Evidently, it contrasted against Hinata's kind, yet timid attributes. He sighed.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, I just don't know what to order. I just want something simple."

Hinata, feeling pressured, made a quick inference on what he might like. From her experience with men, anything with meat in it was suitable. She pointed her finger on an item and showed it to the man across from her.

"Chicken sandwich," she translated.

"Good enough," he grunted, though red meat would have been preferable.

The waitress was quick to return with two glasses of water. When she offered any other drinks, Sasuke ordered a beer, while Hinata stuck with water. They placed their orders and were ill prepared to face the true awkwardness of the situation. Hinata almost regretted bringing him there, but she knew she had to follow through with it. It was part of her code; kindness must always be returned with kindness, though she was aware she owed the man more than lunch at a restaurant he didn't like.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, each of them looking around at the various foreign wall art painting the room. Hinata had read them all before. It wasn't her first time being in an uneasy situation in that very booth, but looking around the room gave her something to preoccupy herself with.

She was about to speak, to make small talk as she'd been taught during her father's social events, when she realized something. "I don't know your name," she chimed sheepishly. His eyes flickered to hers, almost dangerously.

"Sasuke," he said. "Uchiha."

"A-Ah, I see." Hinata had inadvertently made the situation worse. Her father had always cursed her on her timid behaviour while entertaining guests. Unlike her younger sister, Hanabi, or her older cousin, Neji, Hinata was poor at accommodating strangers. _Yet here I am with one, and not even on behalf of my father, _she thought to herself.

The food couldn't have arrived any sooner. They ate quickly. Sasuke thought that the meal was delicious, probably the best chicken he'd ever tasted, but he kept the comment to himself. They finished, and Hinata paid with haste. The walk to her car was silent. The drive to Sasuke's work contained even more of it. It felt dense between the both of them, and then came the fatal goodbye.

"Thanks for lunch," Sasuke said, stepping out of the vehicle. He shut the door and took another glance at her through the window. She merely nodded at him diffidently, before clumsily making her way out of the parking lot.

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><p>Sasuke stood around the bar until his feet were certain to fall off. He may have needed the money, but he also needed his feet to drive, so around ten o'clock, he called it quits.<p>

The bar was owned by a bizarre, slimy man named Orichimaru, who despite his odd behaviour, took favour in Sasuke. The man was almost never around, so Sasuke was technically the leading manager, though his colleague, Suigetsu, was the one who ran the kitchen. Sasuke was in charge of schedules and the whole hiring and firing process. He was also tasked with the tedious duty of alcohol inventory, but that wasn't as bad as the protracted hours behind the bar, watching the same dreary faces come in and out, experiencing the same lame sports games over and over again.

_It's a job, _he urged to remind himself. He cashed in just over minimum wage, which paid more than most places in his end of town. He exited the bar feeling discontent, reading the events of the day from the moment that train had made him late. Primarily, the day was satisfactory, despite Karin, despite the dragging hours, and even with the vomit he had to clean up around dinnertime. It was just another day, but diversely, he was given a free (and overly expensive) meal.

He laughed to himself as he started his car. Hinata was amusing, in her own, undesigned way. It had been a while since someone had given him a genuine act of kindness. Maybe it had been a while for her, too.

Sasuke lived in an old brick building in the heart of what used to be downtown. It had been converted into loft apartments from an old factory. Konoha's ex-downtown district was full of history, in contempt of how dreary it had become. In the 1900s, it would have been full of life, rather than littered with zombies and garbage. He pulled into the back of the building and parked his car. A man with a long beard, veiled in tattered clothing and a withered face, stood alongside the building. When he passed, the man extended his hand and begged for change. Sasuke dropped a few coins as he crossed.

When he geared around to the front of the building, where he would find the front door, he discovered a pink haired girl was also expecting him. She hugged herself and watched as her breath made a small cloud. Sasuke stopped and sighed. His ex-girlfriends really did like to follow him.

"Sakura," he spoke apathetically. The girl twirled around in shock.

"S-Sasuke," she stammered. Her eyebrows furrowed in vexation, before she smiled heartily. "Hey."

"What are you doing here?" he inquired with exasperation. Her eyes softened, hurt.

"You haven't been returning my texts. I was worried."

"We broke up," he muttered. He breezed past her and took out his keys, fumbling to get them in the door.

"Can I come upstairs?" she asked softly. He looked back at her, taking in her shaken appearance, and considered it. He didn't particularly dislike Sakura, but like Karin, they weren't a good match.

"I don't think so." Once unlocked, he had to kick the door to open it, chipping off more of the pine green paint. Before he went inside, he looked back at her. "You found a better life, Sakura. Stop coming around here." With that, he slammed the door in her face and rushed up the antique staircase.

Sakura was annoying.

He entered his apartment and threw his coat over the couch. He turned on the lamp and sat down, exhaling a tired breath. In the morning, he would greet yet another long, arduous day.

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><p>Hinata his her face as she parked her car at the hospital. It was early in the morning, and as she was accustomed to, many familiar faces exited their vehicles and strolled towards their place of employment, tired, but ready for another day of work. Some eyes fell on Hinata as she shut the door on the extravagant vehicle.<p>

"Nice car, Hinata!" Sakura, a pink haired nurse chimed to her, and the girl faltered.

"T-Thank you," she mumbled. Sakura waved as she continued her way towards the building. Hinata was virtually allergic to attention, even if it was positive. What she had failed to inform the bartender on the previous day, when they went for lunch, was that she didn't want the car, period. It was too flashy. It drew all eyes to her and reminded everyone that Hinata's family was incredibly wealthy. In their eyes, it defined her; it masked who she was beneath her father's endless riches. Sasuke must have thought the same thing, she concluded.

The hospital was the one place where Hinata liked to think her money couldn't speak for her. The sick children, the elderly folk and the kind doctors saw her simply as a reticent woman who volunteered to help the needy. She intended to keep it that way, but she also was incapable of refusing her fathers present.

_"I don't mind taking the bus to the hospital," _she had told him, and he scowled at her, insisting that no child of his would be taking a city bus to get around.

In the hospital, Hinata stood behind the reception desk and followed simple orders from the secretary. Every so often, a nurse would ask for her help on small duties. Hinata hadn't gone through the necessary schooling to become a nurse, but she considered it an option. The pressure of going to University was piling up as she got older. Being a volunteer was a last ditch effort to get her father off her case; she was terrified of telling him that she had no idea what she wanted to become, so she said she'd volunteer, to see if being a doctor was the right career path for her. She had her doubts, but helping people was one of the few things that came naturally to her.

Sakura was a student who was taking her co-op at the hospital. Hinata talked to her sometimes, often enough to consider her a friend, even if they never spoke beyond the confides of the reception room. Hinata watched as she wheeled an elderly woman into a room and informed her that the doctor would soon be with her. The pink haired girl teetered over to the reception and leaned her elbows against the counter, her green eyes appearing somber.

"Is something the matter?" Hinata inquired, and Sakura let out a sigh.

"It's my ex," she muttered. Hinata nodded. She knew the feeling. When she continued to flip through a folder given to her by the secretary, she was surprised when Sakura continued to speak.

"We broke up a few weeks ago, but I'm not entirely sure why. It just seems unfair, you know?"

"I know the feeling," Hinata concurred, her eyes crinkling sadly.

"Ah, well." Sakura pushed herself off the counter and twirled on her feet. "I shouldn't be bringing this to work!" The spunky nurse winked and skittered off, leaving Hinata blushing. Sakura was an admirable person, someone she desired to be true friends with.

Hinata's reverie was cut short as paramedics came rushing down the hall. Normally, when the EMTs were in such a rush, it was because an older person had suffered from a stroke or heart attack, but Konoha was also no stranger to gang related violence. Either way, Hinata never fell short to a burst of anxiety when she saw them dashing, some speaking into their radios, with looks of outright gravity plastered on their faces. Following the paramedics, a few curious nurses, Sakura included, lightly jogged. They stopped before the exit. With her eyebrows knotted, Sakura returned to the desk and looked at Hinata.

"W-What's going on?" she dared to ask.

Sakura's orbs blazed, laced with an unmistakable fury. "It appears there's been a stabbing."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Hey guys! Thank you all so much for the reviews, faves and follows on the last chapter. I really wasn't expecting so many!

I really hope I didn't disappoint you with this chapter. I know it was a tad boring, but I wanted to take some time to better introduce the characters, y'know? I'll be writing some more back story on Hinata soon. I know there isn't really much to her at the moment.

**Please review** and let me know what you think! I'll be honest, I was worried about this chapter and that it was too uninteresting. :P

Also, I still don't have a cover for this fic... If you can think of a good one, or wanna draw one or something idk, I'd be very grateful. xD


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